


Jungles of Guamanga

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [43]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:11:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(March 2005) Captain Chronos has just kidnapped the infant son of former superheroes Peter and Marcy Renton and taken him to a Central American republic that has just elected former Destroyer henchman Menton as its President, who is interested in American help to eradicate what he claims is a major base of Doctor Destroyer's in his new country.  Is this all an elaborate plot?  And if so, whose?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jungles of Guamanga

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings** : Language, child kidnapping, intense action sequences, one violently-messy death, third-world bandits, psionic torture, time travel
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **TASK FORCE (covert American supergroup)**
> 
>   * LTG Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), Director of PRIMUS, disgustingly-powerful speedster
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Olivia d'Alembert (AKA Thelambra), supermodel, wife of Ted Jameson, luck-based Empyrean telekinetic
>   * David Kayami (AKA Grandfather), disgustingly-powerful Navajo-themed supermage/cleric
>   * Jason Kayami (AKA Ghostbane), Brick with powers of magic absorption
> 

> 
> **Villains**
> 
>   * Tempus Carlson (AKA Captain Chronos), Time-elemental from the 60th century
>   * Juan, Guamangan bandit leader.
>   * Shadow Destroyer, alternate timeline version of Doctor Destroyer
>   * Alejandro Medina (AKA Menton), disgustingly-powerful psionic, newly-elected President of Guamanga
>   * William Chow (AKA Utility), disgustingly-powerful mercenary gadgeteer
>   * Jesse Turnbull (AKA Mirage), hologram-based gadgeteer
>   * Diana Whitmore (AKA Shrinker), size-altering superhuman
>   * Craig Vandersnoot (AKA Mechassassin), powered-armor mercenary
>   * Emil Nelson (AKA Lazer), mercenary with advanced energy weaponry
>   * Palash Krisharan (AKA Rakshasha), disgustingly-powerful illusionist and metamorph
> 

> 
> **other**
> 
>   * Peter Renton (AKA Amazing Man II), gadgeteer, co-leader of the Goodman Institute's Response Team Alpha
>   * Marcy Gibson-Renton (AKA Electron), gadgeteer, co-leader of the Goodman Institute's Response Team Alpha
>   * Jason Renton, infant son of Peter and Marcy Renton
>   * Enrique Ramos, elder of the village of Torre Quattro, Guamanga
>   * Brad Barrington, special agent, UNTIL Section 13
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]], Navajo by « »
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 2** : I am placing the Champions Universe's fictional Central American nation of Guamanga on the Real Life Mosquito Coast area of Nicaragua. It was the result of a somewhat more successful Iran-Contra affair in the TASK FORCE universe
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 3** : As always, Comic Book Fantasy Casting for Menton is Ricardo Montalban
> 
> * * *

(west of Canal Winchester, OH. Nighttime, sometime in early March)

(Peter 'Amazing Man II' Renton is in jeans and a t-shirt, holding his infant son Jason while he rocks him gently. Marcy 'Electron' Renton enters the living room)

 **Amazing Man II** (whispered): "Okay, he's asleep now."

 **Electron** (whispered): "I'll put him in his crib. You've monopolized him enough for one night."

 **Amazing Man II** (whispered): "No I haven't."

(they kiss while Peter transfers Jason and his blankets into Marcy's grasp)

 **Electron** (whispered): "I've got him."

(she walks off to the nursery, slowly rocking Jason in her arms. She sets him tenderly down into his crib, fusses with the blankets some more, then smiles as she turns away)

 **Electron** (whispered): "Good night, little Jason."

(there is a blinding flash! before Marcy can leave the nursery. A man wearing a funny-looking silver lamé jumpsuit and holding a baby carrier has just appeared next to Jason's crib)

 **Electron** : "Captain Chronos!"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Ah, good evening!"

 **Electron** : "What are YOU doing here?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "According to my chrono-calculations I need to take your son with me."

 **Electron** : "Wai... WHAT?!?"

 **Captain Chronos** (picking Jason up and depositing him in the carrier): "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Gibson. No time to explain!"

(there is another blinding flash! ...and both Captain Chronos and baby Jason are gone)

(beat, then Marcy screams)

* * *

(near Torre Quattro, Guamanga. The next morning)

(Jason 'Ghostbane' Kayami wrestles with the steering wheel of the Jeep he and David 'Grandfather' Kayami are in as it bumps over a barely-improved mud trail)

 **Ghostbane** : "I miss having our motorcycles."

 **Grandfather** : "We couldn't take them with us on this trip. Remember?"

 **Ghostbane** : "Where are we heading again?"

 **Grandfather** : "The village of Torre Quattro, near the border with Honduras."

 **Ghostbane** : "And what are we doing there other than following up on a Doctor Destroyer-related lead?"

 **Grandfather** : "Following up on a late November missions trip done by a team from that church outside Dallas that the Hawkins family attends."

(Jason grunts in acknowledgement as the Jeep weathers another pothole in the trail)

 **Ghostbane** (muttered): "Still miss our motorcycles..."

(the trail abruptly leaves the jungle and widens out into a primitive village)

 **Grandfather** (pointing to the run-down church): "There."

 **Ghostbane** : "On it."

(the Jeep makes it to outside the church just as an elderly and dignified man walks up to them)

 **Grandfather** (getting out of the Jeep and extending his hand): "Enrique Ramos, I presume?"

 **Man** (shaking his hand): "Yes, Señor. You are the missionaries I spoke to on the phone, no?"

 **Grandfather** (retrieving his walking stick): "We are. I'm David Kayami, and this is my grandson Jason."

 **Ghostbane** (shaking Enrique's hand): "Sir."

 **Enrique** : "This is not a safe place to be right now, Padre."

 **Grandfather** : "This wouldn't have anything to do with the Guamangan election that just happened, would it?"

 **Enrique** : "No, even though the banditos that persecute us claim to do so with the blessing of President Medina. For our own protection, allegedly."

 **Grandfather** : "What are they protecting you from?"

 **Enrique** : "Shadows from the jungle that stalk us by night." (beat) "Though honestly, our 'protectors' are just as dangerous."

 **Ghostbane** (to David in Navajo): «Shadows that stalk by night. Harnessed Shadows?»

 **Grandfather** (in Navajo): «Sounds like it» (in English) "Tell me more about these Shadows at night."

(a young boy comes running up to the village elder, breathless)

 **Boy** (pointing back down the road, terrified): "Banditos!"

 **Enrique** (to the boy): "Gracias. Ve a proteger a tus hermanos." /* Thank you. Go protect your siblings */

(he turns back to David, his face full of sorrow)

 **Enrique** : "I am sorry you have to see this, Señor Kayami."

 **Ghostbane** : "What do they do to you?"

 **Enrique** : "They take our food. Also, any tech left us by missionaries such as yourselves like generators or phones. And sometimes, if what we have isn't enough... they take our daughters, to be sold to human traffickers in Bluefields."

 **Grandfather** : "Stand fast and be faithful, Enrique. Their reign of terror ends today."

 **Enrique** : "You are but two men who serve a God who has repeatedly turned His back on us..."

(with a scream of an abused engine, an Army-surplus truck bounces up the road out of the jungle to the south. Various men hang off of its side, laughing and shooting their AK-47s into the air)

 **Grandfather** (interrupting): "God never turns His back on those in need. Watch and believe."

(with a screech of equally-abused brakes, the truck lurches to a stop in the village square. As the men hanging off its side leap off to stalk into the surrounding houses, another man steps out of the passenger side of the cab and struts up to Enrique and David. He looks to be in charge)

 **Bandit Leader** : "Hola, Enrique! ¡Tiempo para mis hombres a la tienda de comestibles!" /* Hello, Enrique! Time for my men to grocery shop! */

 **Enrique** : "Toma lo que necesites y déjanos, Juan." /* Take what you need and leave us be, Juan */

(Juan isn't paying attention to Enrique. He's looking at David and Jason appraisingly)

 **Juan** (looking at David and Jason): "What do we have here? Norteamericano missionaries?!?"

 **Grandfather** : "Our business here is of no concern to you."

 **Juan** : "It is very much our concern, gringo! How do we know you're NOT working for Doctor Destroyer?"

 **Grandfather** : "Our word."

 **Juan** : "You begin to see my problem, then." (beat, sweeps his hand around the village) "It's hungry and thirsty work, defending the villages of this province from Doctor Destroyer and his Shadow Legions..."

 **Grandfather** (in Navajo): «Jason, do something impressively destructive to their truck, please»

 **Ghostbane** (in Navajo): «yes, sir!»

(standing up, Jason casually starts sauntering toward the bandito's truck, interrupting Juan's monologue)

 **Juan** : "You! Sit down!"

(Jason ignores him)

 **Juan** (aiming his AK-47 and releasing the safety): "I mean it!!"

(still ignoring Juan, Jason has reached the truck by this time)

(BLAM!)

(Juan hits Jason with a single shot. The bullet bounces off of his back right about where his heart would be, leaving a hole in his t-shirt. Jason continues to ignore him)

(reaching underneath the hood and grabbing the frame, Jason lifts the truck off the ground. Holding it in mid-air, he smiles at the now-shocked banditos before smashing it repeatedly into the ground. By the time he's through, all that's left of it is scrap metal and some tires)

 **Ghostbane** (to the banditos): "We're not trapped here with you, Amigos. You're trapped here with US."

(Jason 10d6 PRE attack [20 PRE +3d6 for incredibly violent action +2d6 for really good soliloquy +1d6 for exhibiting power] paralyzes all the banditos except one)

(beat, then Juan takes David hostage)

 **Juan** (fearfully, to Jason): "Surrender to us now, hero, and he lives!"

(rolling his eyes, David sighs)

 **Grandfather** : "Juan, vete a dormir." /* Juan, go to sleep */

(Juan collapses unconscious immediately. Mind Control, set command, FTW.)

(After a moment, the rest of the banditos drop their weapons and raise their hands) 

**Ghostbane** : "Bind them, Grandfather?"

 **Grandfather** : "Please and thank you, Jason!"

(Jason gets to work turning the gun barrels of the bandito's AK-47s into impromptu handcuffs. David now notices the newfound respect toward him among the villagers)

 **Grandfather** (internal monologue): [[perhaps this will make getting information from them easier? Thank you, God.]]

* * *

(Presidential Estate, Bluefields, Guamanga. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(two guards dressed like Men in Black open the doors to the Presidential Office. Ted 'Ranger' Jameson strides in wearing Army Camo and walks toward the ornate desk which Alejandro 'Menton' Medina has just stood up from)

 **Guard** : "Lieutenant General Jameson, Mr. President."

(the guards excuse themselves, closing the door behind them)

 **Menton** : "General Jameson! I *never* forget a face!" /* stealth shout-out to his Fantasy Casting's most famous role ;) */

 **Ranger** (neutrally): "Mr. Medina."

 **Menton** : "How long has it been? July of 1992?"

 **Ranger** : "The Battle of Detroit, as I recall."

 **Menton** (waving a hand dismissively): "Past history is water under the bridge." (beat, then his brow furrows) "How can I not sense your mind when you are *clearly* standing in front of me?"

 **Ranger** (deadpan): "Perhaps you haven't had your morning coffee yet, Mr. President?"

(Menton lets out a hearty guffaw)

 **Menton** : "I assure you, General, it isn't my caffeine intake that's at fault today! You must be wearing some sort of psi-shield? Like UNTIL is beginning to deploy?"

 **Ranger** : "A psionic cloak."

 **Menton** : "Ingenious."

 **Ranger** : "Thank you."

 **Menton** : "Built for you by the Son of Zerstoiten, no doubt?"

 **Ranger** : "What of it? It's not like you ever faced him in combat when he was active..."

 **Menton** : "Oh, but I did, General, the same day we first met." (beat) "My sister and I both found him to be *most* discourteous that morning." /* 'The Battle of Detroit' */

 **Ranger** : "Dr. Hawkins can be a little abrasive when he's stressed."

(Menton chuckles)

 **Menton** : "Enough reminiscing about the past. I have asked you here today to talk about the future."

 **Ranger** : "As it may potentially exist between the United States and Guamanga?"

 **Menton** : "Precisely."

 **Ranger** : "You wish an alliance with us?"

 **Menton** : "Your nation was responsible for the birth of this one in the late 1980's, was it not?"

 **Ranger** : "It was. As I recall, a lot of people in our government got in trouble for that."

 **Menton** : "By the party which was then out of power inside your so-called 'Beltway.'" (beat, drinks) "And when *they* came to power they rewarded the people of this region with supreme indifference, pulling financial aid and even diplomatic recognition!"

 **Ranger** : "I thought we were done talking about the past..."

 **Menton** (interrupting, slamming his hands down on his desk): "Guamangans STARVED while American politicians grew self-satisfied signalling their so-called virtue to each other! As long as I am rightfully-elected President of these people, I cannot let that stand!"

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Ranger** : "I'm not the person you need to talk to about diplomatic relations or foreign aid, Mr. President."

 **Menton** : "But you ARE the person I need to talk to about Doctor Destroyer."

 **Ranger** (beat): "Go on."

 **Menton** : "How familiar are you with his activities since he returned from the dead?"

 **Ranger** : "He hasn't been that active in America since his return." (beat) "Do *you* know something of his activities?"

 **Menton** : "The northern villages along my border with Honduras report a terror that hunts them by night. Shadows and animated statues, and people who are dragged by them screaming into the jungle never to be seen again. Fell monsters killing livestock required by people barely able to sustain themselves as is."

 **Ranger** : "How long has this been going on?"

 **Menton** : "Nearly three years, from the reports and interviews I have seen." (beat) "Perhaps if I provide you those reports and interviews, your vaunted military might rid me of the threat my... former employer poses me and my people?"

 **Ranger** : "I'm afraid there's little we can do militarily. We're fighting an active insurgency in Iraq as a consequence of the war there two years ago, and continued budget cuts keep us from restocking munitions expended both then and while supporting the multinational force in India that fought Doctor Destroyer later that year." /* "Chantal's War" */

 **Menton** : "But as director of PRIMUS you have access to superhero teams, do you not?"

 **Ranger** : "Access, yes. Command, no."

 **Menton** : "Then perhaps what intelligence I have and can provide can be forwarded to... interested supergroups?"

 **Ranger** (beat): "You really ARE disturbed by Doctor Destroyer if you're willing to help superheroes!"

 **Menton** (darkly): "You have no idea what it's like to grow up under his control." (beat) "The day he committed suicide was the happiest day of my life. Which he then RUINED by coming back from the dead!!"

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Ranger** : "Since you're being honest with me, let me be honest with you."

 **Menton** : "Go on."

 **Ranger** : "There are those in my government who still remember you and your sister as operatives of Doctor Destroyer. There are doubts about your new-found hostility toward him because of that."

 **Menton** (icily): "Doctor Destroyer returned from the dead is as much of a threat to me as he is to you! Why should I NOT seek common cause with others who would oppose him?"

 **Ranger** : "There are also those who feel your election here in Guamanga is but a stepping stone to take over the entire region and use it as a political power base to rule the world."

 **Menton** : "There are much more *immediate* concerns at play here than whay I may or may want to do with the World. What must I DO to convince your government of this?!?"

 **Ranger** : "Have you reached out to UNTIL with the information you're offering me?"

 **Menton** : "I have." (beat, contemptuously) "The fools in Turtle Bay insist on ignoring me."

 **Ranger** : "I see."

(long pause)

 **Ranger** : "Will you let me take what intelligence you have? Pass it on to others who might wish to act upon it?"

 **Menton** : "By all means! My national security advisor will talk with you within the hour and give you what we have." (beat, takes a drink) "Whomever should respond from your nation will have the full cooperation of My government in this matter."

 **Ranger** : "Thank you."

 **Menton** : "Thank YOU, General, for listening to me when no one else would."

(Ted stands, they exchange nods, and he walks off)

* * *

(The Obsidian Caves, near the border between Guamanga and Honduras. 15 minutes later)

(Shadow Destroyer paces impatiently in front of his throne and around what appears to be a large quartz sphere. Captain Chronos is playing with Jason in his baby carrier)

 **Shadow Destroyer** (fuming): "WHY have you *not* placed the infant as I have directed?!?"

 **Captain Chronos** (still playing with baby Jason): "I already explained it to you! This needs to occur at a very specific time for the flow of history to be preserved..."

 **Shadow Destroyer** (firing a Darkblast at Captain Chronos): "I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID FLOW OF HISTORY!!"

(Captain Chronos waves a hand, and the Darkblast is swallowed by a pinkish swirl before it hits. Tense pause, held gaze)

 **Captain Chronos** : "You will now."

 **Shadow Destroyer** (fuming): "It would help if I knew which village you placed him in back in 1987..."

(he manipulates some crystalline gems around the large quartz sphere. The terrain around the village of Torre Quattro appears within it)

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "Perhaps it was this one?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "If I told you, the chronal node you are ordering me to set up for you will be irrepairably damaged."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "How do I know you're not making that up?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "You don't."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "I NEED the infant Renton aged to the peak of his powers to restore the Mandragalore's fuel core to full potency!"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Which assumes he has inherited his grandfather's transmutation abilities..."

 **Shadow Destroyer** (interrupting): "And why shouldn't he have?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Oh, I don't know. The human genome has proven to be VERY funny in transmitting abilities based on my knowledge of history."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "If you would allow me to scan his genotype, I can convince you that I'm RIGHT!"

 **Captain Chronos** : "If I allow you and you're wrong, what then?"

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "Impossible. I'm never wrong."

 **Captain Chronos** (muttered): "Said every would-be planet-conquering megalomaniac ever..."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "I've killed men for saying less against me than that, you buffoon."

 **Captain Chronos** : "My powers are my life insurance policy."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "I can achieve what I want from the dimensional rift here."

 **Captain Chronos** : "If you really could, then WHY AM I HERE?!?"

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Captain Chronos** : "If you truly knew what that rift was capable of doing, you'd close it yourself rather than risk all of Creation using its powers."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "You assume I even *care* about what happens to this reality."

(behind his Chrono-goggles, Captain Chronos' eyes widen with alarm)

 **Shadow Destroyer** (turning his back on Captain Chronos): "Play your stupid little word-games with me, clown. I have other irons in the fire right now."

(he manipulates some more crystalline controls, and the quartz sphere zooms on Bluefields)

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "Time to see what the American Mission to President Medina is up to. Maybe something said there will get UNTIL off their asses like I tried to manipulate them to do before his election."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. That evening)

(Julie 'Ladyhawk' Hawkins' cell phone rings as Clan Hawkins is enjoying Supper)

 **Ladyhawk** (looking at the display): "Marcy? What does she want?" (flips phone open) "Hi, Marcy. What's up?"

 **Electron** (over phone): "Julie, you've got to help me and Peter!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why? What's wrong?"

 **Electron** (over phone, almost sobbing): "Captain Chronos kidnapped our son Jason!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Wai... wait, WHAT?"

 **Electron** (over phone, crying): "He TOOK Jason from us!!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Slow down! Why are you calling me instead of the authorities?"

 **Electron** (over phone, trying to calm down): "The Franklin County Sherriff's Department won't take it because it's superpowered crime! PRIMUS doesn't know what to do except take measurements, which is what Peter and the Response Team already did..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Did this happen today?"

 **Electron** (over phone): "Last night." (beat) "Can't you call General Jameson or something?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted is out of the country right now."

 **Electron** (over phone): "What about that team of superhumans you're equipping?" /* prologue to 'Black Ops' */

 **Ladyhawk** : "The alleged team of covert superhumans you accused me of equipping, you mean?"

 **Electron** (over phone): "Julie, this is SERIOUS!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "So am I, Marcy."

 **Electron** (over phone): "Nobody will help us and I don't know who else to go to!"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "Here's what I can do. Have Peter send his sensor readings of the crime scene to Bob. He has a little bit of experience with time travel, and he might see something that's not immediately obvious to your people at the Goodman Institute."

 **Electron** (over phone): "Thank you. I'll have him do that."

 **Ladyhawk** : "It's the best we can do for you right now. If Nerd-boy finds anything, PRIMUS might be able to take it from there."

 **Electron** (over phone): "Okay..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I've been where you are once before. You'll make it, Marcy. We'll help find Jason for you." /* "Fields of Saguenay" */

 **Electron** (over phone): "Thank you, Julie. Good bye."

(the phone call disconnects)

 **Starforce** : "What are you having me do for Peter and Marcy?"

 **Ladyhawk** (putting phone away): "Captain Chronos kidnapped their baby son."

 **Starforce** : "Oh." (beat) "You realize my only experience with time travel was with Die Glocke, don't you?" /* "The Paradox of Doctor Destroyer/Greatest Generation" */

 **Ladyhawk** : "So?"

 **Starforce** : "To the best of my knowledge, Captain Chronos isn't a crude Nazi wunderwaffen. He's a time elemental." (beat, eats a forkful of food) "From the 60th century, if his entry in the PRIMUS Superhuman Survey can be believed."

 **Ladyhawk** : "It's still time travel, Nerd-boy."

 **Starforce** : "You're assuming Captain Chronos took his victim elsewhere in time. That's not an assumption I'm comfortable making right now." (beat) "Also, one of the two reasons I was able to control Die Glocke had to do with the crudeness of its controls and generators."

 **Ladyhawk** : "What was the other?"

 **Starforce** (talking around another mouthful of supper): "The closed time-like loop I set up in human history that enabled Michael Renton to do the calculations for our retrieval from World War II *for* me."

 **Ladyhawk** (frustrated): "Just look at the data they'll be sending me, okay?"

 **Starforce** : "I will, but I'm not going to guarantee any results."

* * *

(Torre Quattro, Guamanga. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(night has descended over Torre Quattro. The darkness of the jungle surrounding the village is as suffocating as the humidity of the air. David and Jason sit in front of the chapel, looking toward the treeline)

 **Grandfather** (murmured, raising a hand): "Hear that?"

 **Ghostbane** (whispered): "Hear what? I don't hear a thing!"

 **Grandfather** (murmured): "Exactly my point. Where did all the animal sounds go just now?"

(tense and very silent pause, punctuated only by the frantic barking of a dog toward the edge of the village)

 **Ghostbane** (whispered): "It's just like that one time on Sumatra..." /* "Shadows Out of Darkness" */

 **Grandfather** (murmured, Danger Sense pulsing): "Focus, Jason. Did you bring your mask?"

 **Ghostbane** (rummaging around in a backpack): "Yes, sir. One moment..."

(in short order, Jason has on the mask he normally wears as Ghostbane)

 **Ghostbane** : "I've got movement in the treeline, sir. Looks like a Corrupted One and 4 Harnessed Shadows."

 **Grandfather** : "I sense them. Magic and evil."

 **Ghostbane** : "Sure would've been nice to have Mrs. H here to take care of the Harnessed Shadows. One energy shuriken should be about all it takes..."

 **Grandfather** (interrupting while pulling something out of his pocket): "You mean, like this?"

(Jason glances over to David, then does a double-take. He's holding an energy shuriken)

 **Ghostbane** (incredulous): "How'd you get that?!?"

 **Grandfather** : "I asked before we left on this mission." (hands it to Jason) "A little bit of manners goes a long way."

 **Ghostbane** (hefting the shuriken): "Wait for your cue?"

 **Grandfather** : "Please. I want to see what they do first."

(David can now make out the Corrupted One with his sight. He hangs back as the Harnessed Shadows begin to fan out and stalk through the village)

 **Ghostbane** (beat, whispered): "They appear to be searching for something."

 **Grandfather** (whispered): "Or someone."

(one of the Harnessed Shadows now has a good view of the chapel and sees both David and Jason. Pointing, it lets out a low moan)

 **Ghostbane** : "Great. They see us."

 **Grandfather** : "We want them all together, Jason. We only have one energy shuriken, and we need to make it count."

(the other Harnessed Shadows have now wandered to the general vicinity of the Chapel, and are now joined by the Corrupted One)

 **Ghostbane** (arm cocked to throw the shuriken): "Now?"

 **Grandfather** : "Wait for it..."

(the Corrupted One and the Harnessed Shadows are now in a nice, tight grouping advancing on David and Jason)

 **Grandfather** (closing his eyes): "NOW!"

(Jason's throw is perfect. The shuriken set for flash-stun goes off in the middle of the Harnessed Shadows for 66 STUN on them and the Corrupted One, with an additional 2 BODY and 7 STUN incurred on the Harnessed Shadows due to their susceptibility to light-based attacks. To an entity, the attack force on Torre Quattro collapses in front of David and Jason, unconscious)

 **Grandfather** : "Dispose of the Harnessed Shadows if you would, please?"

 **Ghostbane** : "Gladly, Grandfather."

(while Jason shatters the exoskeletons, David walks over to the Corrupted One, plants a foot on his staff, and splinters it with an application of his "Don't EVER Do That!" power. His "Protection From Evil" aura has just drained 3 more BODY and STUN from him in the process)

 **Ghostbane** : "That's the last of them. What do we do with their leader?"

 **Grandfather** (stepping back so he is just over 8 meters away from the Corrupted One): "We need him alive."

(after about half a minute, the Corrupted One stirs and regains consciousness. He reaches for his staff and finds splinters. Looking around frantically, he finds the remains of his Harnessed Shadows scattered in front of the Chapel)

 **Corrupted One** : "Destroyer will KILL you for what you have done here!"

 **Grandfather** (stepping within 8 meters): "You have bigger problems right now."

(the Corrupted One gasps as David's protective aura flares again and 2 more BODY and STUN are drained from him. David steps back)

 **Grandfather** : "Take a message back to your master. We're coming for him."

(Jason cracks his knuckles menacingly and smiles at the Corrupted One. He finally gets the message, staggers to his feet, and runs off into the jungle)

 **Ghostbane** : "Was that wise, Grandfather? Sending him back to Destroyer with a message?"

 **Grandfather** : "How else are we going to find where Destroyer's base is?"

(he makes some clicking noises to the darkness behind him. Beat, then the ground appears to move. Jason sees multiple ocelots run up to David as his nightvision finally gets into focus)

 **Ghostbane** : "Weren't you trying to befriend them this afternoon?"

 **Grandfather** (to Jason): "Sh."

(he kneels down, almost as if he were talking to the ocelots. Jason can now sense the type of magic subtly flowing between David and the ocelots. They appear agitated until David offers them something from his pocket. Beat, then they take it from him and scamper back off into the darkness)

 **Ghostbane** : "That's something you once told me you could do when you were young! I thought you couldn't do shamanism anymore..."

 **Grandfather** : "That's what I originally thought, too, after my conversion. Now hush, I'm seeing what they're seeing, and they've got the Corrupted One's trail."

(it's only now that Jason can see David's eyes glowing)

 **Ghostbane** : "Shutting up now."

* * *

(UNTIL Caribbean Operations Hangar, MacDill AFB, FL. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(a junior-level UNTIL agent is escorting Ted through a hangar swarming with UNTIL personnel. Several DV-200s in UNTIL livery are being serviced, almost as if they are being prepared for a mission)

 **Ranger** : "Looks like you're planning for a major op here."

 **Agent** : "I am not at liberty to discuss that, General. Sorry."

(their path through the hangar ends at a large, windowed office)

 **Agent** : "In here, General."

(another agent is manning a security desk between two doors)

 **Agent 2** : "Major Barrington is waiting in room 101."

(Ted recognizes the name from his Army career)

 **Agent 1** (moving to the door on the left): "This way."

(Ted is now in a comfortably-appointed meeting room. A wet bar is to the left, and what appears to be a mirror fills most of the right wall. An UNTIL major with gray hair in a crew cut stares at Ted with piercing blue eyes)

 **Ranger** : "Brad Barrington! Your reputation in the Special Forces community precedes you."

 **Barrington** (shaking Ted's hand): "As does yours in the superhuman community, General."

 **Ranger** : "We sure could've used you two years ago in Iraq, from what I hear around the Pentagon."

 **Barrington** : "The Army was getting soft under Clinton. UNTIL made an offer I really liked, and I took it with no regrets." (beat) "Can my staff get you anything? Coffee? Juice?"

 **Ranger** : "Water would be fine."

(Barrington nods to the agent, who grabs a bottled water from the wet bar's fridge and hands it to Ted)

 **Ranger** : "Thank you."

 **Barrington** (to the agent): "That will be all."

(the agent leaves)

 **Ranger** : "Perhaps you can now explain to me exactly why I'm here? Director-General Eckhardt didn't offer any explanation when he reached me on the flight back stateside."

 **Barrington** : "As well he shouldn't, on an open channel."

 **Ranger** : "I'm guessing it has something to do with my Presidentially-directed mission to Guamanga. Correct?"

 **Barrington** : "Correct. I'd like you to describe your meeting this morning with Menton."

 **Ranger** (beat): "Shouldn't I be describing my meeting with President Medina to *our* President, instead? He was the one who asked me to represent the United States..."

 **Barrington** (interrupting): "I have orders from both Homeland Security *and* the Army chief of staff for you to cooperate with me should it be necessary."

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Ranger** : "What do you DO in UNTIL to command that type of response from my government?"

 **Barrington** : "What I did was all perfectly legal under the terms of the Martinez Treaty, General."

 **Ranger** : "You must be running an op for Director Taber, then." (beat) "One that's about to go off judging from the activity I observed in your hangar just now."

 **Barrington** : "I'm not associated with the North American Directorate, General."

 **Ranger** : "Then who in UNTIL are you working for?"

 **Barrington** : "We're called Section 13. That's all you need to know."

 **Ranger** (beat, smiling): "So YOU'RE the unit behind that off-the-books supherhuman team UNTIL is supposedly running to capture Doctor Destroyer!"

 **Barrington** : "I heard that it was a PRIMUS op."

 **Ranger** : "If it was, I wouldn't be authorized to tell you."

 **Barrington** : "Same here, General." (beat) "Your meeting with Menton. Quit stalling."

 **Ranger** : "Where would you like me to start?"

 **Barrington** : "Who is he using as guards?"

 **Ranger** : "Big guys, dressed exactly like Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith from _Men In Black_. Complete with the dark sunglasses."

 **Barrington** : "Could they have psionic abilities?"

 **Ranger** : "PSI in Millenium City is doing brisk business in contracting their personnel to paying customers, and my intel says that's how they typically dress on assignment."

 **Barrington** : "What about the meeting's subject?"

 **Ranger** : "It concerned Doctor Destroyer."

 **Barrington** : "Oh?"

 **Ranger** : "He has intelligence that Destroyer has a major base of some sort near his border with Honduras, which has been terrorizing surrounding villages and plantations."

 **Barrington** : "Is it credible?"

 **Ranger** : "My staff is determining that as we speak. I sent everything he gave me via secure transmission during the flight back."

 **Barrington** : "Why did he tell this to you?"

 **Ranger** : "He was hoping for a military response from the United States. Failing that, a response from any American superteam I could get interested in attacking."

 **Barrington** (incredulous): "He would INVITE the American military or American superheroes *into* his nation?"

 **Ranger** : "He and his twin sister were raised from infancy by Doctor Destroyer. It was an experience that he does not appear to remember fondly."

 **Barrington** : "But this is Menton we're talking about! He's been implicated in at least five schemes to take over the world since Doctor Destroyer originally died."

 **Ranger** : "I know. One of those involved the Presidential Recount in Florida 5 years ago."

 **Barrington** (beat): "Moving on. Were you mentally influenced by Menton during the meeting? That you know of?"

 **Ranger** : "I would frankly be surprised if he WASN'T attempting to do so."

 **Barrington** (checking the workstation on his side of the table): "For what it's worth, your thoughts are your own according to the room sensors." (beat, staring at Ted) "How did you manage that?"

 **Ranger** : "Dr. Bob Hawkins custom-built a psionic cloak for me which, based on notes from his father's technical database, should be optimized against Medina family psionics."

 **Barrington** : "That's convenient."

 **Ranger** : "If UNTIL hadn't been persecuting him for the crime of being his father's only son, he probably would have been happy to provide some for you as well."

 **Barrington** (making scare quotes): "One man's 'persecution' is an UNTIL agent doing his job for the greater good of the world."

 **Ranger** : "Does that job include when the United Nations became an undeclared co-belligerent with Istvatha V'Han?" /* "The First Dimensional War" */

(awkward pause)

 **Barrington** : "Most of those people on both the Security Council and the Tribunal have since been replaced."

 **Ranger** (standing up): "If we're done here, I'll be on my way. I have a date with my wife at the Lincoln Center..."

 **Barrington** : "General, I'm afraid I have to keep you here at MacDill for 24 hours."

 **Ranger** (beat, incredulous): "Excuse me?"

 **Barrington** : "You were right to deduce that we have an op about to go off. If you're thinking it involves Guamanga, you'd also be correct."

 **Ranger** : "I didn't think it needed to be voiced." (beat) "You think I'd be a security risk?!?"

 **Barrington** : "Section 13 has noted your willingness in the past to work with supervillains."

 **Ranger** (angry): "I can cite extenuating circumstances for each and every time I've ever had to do that..."

 **Barrington** (interrupting): "I also note how cordial your meeting with Menton went earlier today. Even though you cleared a psi-screen, we cannot take the chance that you'll blow cover on our op."

 **Ranger** (dangerously): "What makes you think you can hold me here against my will?"

 **Barrington** (coldly): "Your sense of honor and duty." (beat) "And even if you *should* somehow overcome those, you'll find it quite impossible to enter any form of hyper-accelerated state."

(shocked pause. Ted then blurs briefly, as if he were attempting to enter the Speed Zone, but nothing happens)

 **Barrington** : "UNTIL's scientists may not have the skills and talent that you can command from the Son of Zerstoiten, but they're still competent enough for our purposes."

 **Ranger** (coldly): "You're still holding me prisoner."

 **Barrington** : "Only for 24 hours, and our facility here at MacDill has several fully-equipped guest suites to support contingencies such as this one."

(Barrington presses a button. Two combat-equipped agents enter and flank Ted to either side)

 **Barrington** : "Please go voluntarily, General. Don't be a hero."

(beat, then Ted turns to leave with the agents, silently fuming. After the door closes, Barrington manipulates another control in front of him. The mirror turns into a window, showing a room containing William 'Utility' Chow)

 **Barrington** : "Did you get what you need?"

 **Utility** : "The presidential guard courtesy of PSI would have been an unpleasant surprise without General Jameson's debrief."

 **Barrington** : "You can counter them, I hope?"

 **Utility** : "Not a problem, with the team you've given me."

 **Barrington** : "Good."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. The next day)

(Olivia 'Thelambra' d'Alembert walks into the holotank room in Bob's private labs underneath the manor, with Bob trailing along behind. The rest of TASK FORCE -- minus Ted -- is already there)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Where's Ted?"

 **Thelambra** : "He got detained at MacDill AFB in Florida last night coming back from his mission to Guamanga."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why?"

 **Thelambra** : "The best I can find out, he was called into a secure facility UNTIL maintains at that base after he landed. The facility went immediately into lockdown when he entered."

 **Starforce** (in disbelief): "Oh, just GREAT!"

 **Grandfather** : "Was he able to get *anything* to us before that happened?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "He sent it on the flight back from Guamanga." (beat) "I wonder if he knows something we don't?"

 **Grandfather** : "I've known a lot of people like him in my life. I'm sure he does."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Seeing as UNTIL is holding Ted for some reason, I'm in charge until he gets back. What do we have?"

 **Starforce** (typing on a keyboard): "I've integrated the intel Ted acquired from Menton with a dimensional anomaly I detected last night with the PRIMUS GRIDIRON satellite on the Guamangan-Honduran border." (beat, looks at David) "Right around where you and Jason were yesterday, as a matter of fact."

 **Thelambra** : "And?"

(the holotank pulls up a topographical map of the Guamangan-Honduran border regions. A specific target point near the Guamangan bank of the Rio Coco has two colored circles drawn around it)

 **Starforce** : "Menton appears to be on to something. Something big and Doctor Destroyer-related."

 **Thelambra** : "What's this about a dimensional rift you just detected?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "It was for a private request from Peter and Marcy Renton."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Two nights ago, Captain Chronos kidnapped their baby. The authorities were of no assistance, so they reached out to us for help."

 **Starforce** : "Peter gave me sensor sweeps with the residual energy Captain Chronos left behind. I found it three hours into my GRIDIRON run." (beat) "Imagine my surprise when Menton's data synched up with it."

 **Grandfather** : "Could Captain Chronos be working with Doctor Destroyer?"

(shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : "That is a concept so hideous to contemplate I want to un-hear it."

 **Ladyhawk** (to David): "What about you last night?"

 **Grandfather** : "I was able to trace the survivor of the attack on Torre Quattro to a hill 10 miles west-northwest of that village, almost overlooking the Rio Coco."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Did you lose the trail there?"

 **Grandfather** : "My... sources refused to follow the Corrupted One into the tunnel into which he vanished."

 **Starforce** (muttering while typing): "10 miles west-northwest of Torre Quattro..."

(the already-circled target on the Guamangan-Honduran border in the holotank gains a third colored circle around it)

 **Starforce** (murmured): "Well, whaddya know?"

 **Ghostbane** : "Could that actually be Doctor Destroyer's master headquarters?"

 **Starforce** : "If he had one, nobody ever found it after he died." (beat, musing) "This feels more like a target of opportunity for him. He loves himself some dimensional disturbances these days."

 **Thelambra** : "In addition to fragments of the Mandragalore's Fuel Core."

 **Ghostbane** (beat): "What could the Mandragalore do in conjunction with a dimensional rift?"

 **Thelambra** : "Horrible things. That's basically what happened during the Toba Catastrophe."

 **Grandfather** : "And everyone *was* attempting to tap the residual energies of the rift left over by that event three years ago." /* "Shadows Out of Darkness" */

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Then we need to make sure Doctor Destroyer doesn't have access to *this* rift anymore!"

 **Ghostbane** : "I'm all for pounding Doctor D, Mrs. H, but what would the General say?"

 **Thelambra** : "He'd kick our asses for not proceeding without him on the basis of this intel."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Agreed. Bob, work with David on how to enter the cave system his sources located. Everyone, we move out in thirty. Suit up."

* * *

(UNTIL Caribbean Operations Hangar, MacDill AFB, FL. 30 minutes later)

(escorted by two UNTIL agents, Ted enters a room that looks like a modern version of Mission Control. The room is fully-staffed and buzzing with activity. Major Barrington walks up to him as he looks around)

 **Barrington** : "Sleep well, General?"

 **Ranger** (pointedly): "Not as well as I should have." (beat) "I was supposed to have a date with my wife last night, remember?"

 **Barrington** : "If that's all you were missing, we could have made some arrangements for you."

(the battle staff can almost feel the temperature drop as Ted stares at Major Barrington icily)

 **Barrington** : "Can my staff get you some coffee?"

 **Ranger** (coldly): "Leaded and black."

 **Barrington** (to a staff officer): "You heard the man."

(the staff officer nods and leaves, while Ted regains some modicum of self-control)

 **Ranger** : "Since I can't tell anyone about what's happening right now, you could at least explain the mission to me."

 **Barrington** : "I suppose I owe you that much. One professional to another."

 **Ranger** : "You're going into Guamanga to take down Menton."

 **Barrington** : "Permanently, if all goes according to plan."

(the staff officer returns with a mug of coffee. Ted takes it from him)

 **Ranger** (sipping his coffee): "So this is how the world rewards him for giving us intel on Doctor Destroyer."

 **Barrington** : "Only following the orders of the Tribunal right now, General. You got a problem with that, you take it up with them."

 **Ranger** (murmured): "I think I might."

(sipping his coffee, he ends up by a console designated 'ALPHA'. He reads the monitor legends out loud)

 **Ranger** : "Raya de Plata, Fenris, Venin Vert, and Onslaught? Rather muscle-heavy to go up against a psionic."

 **Barrington** : "What of it?"

 **Ranger** : "They were all in the Guardhouse, last I heard." (beat, sipping his coffee to control his growing anger) "Were they all you could find that accepted your offer?

 **Barrington** : "They're the decoy team. The REAL team assigned to take down Menton is over here."

(Barrington pats a console marked 'BRAVO')

 **Ranger** (with growing incredulity): "Utility, Mirage, Shrinker, Mechassassin, and Lazer?!?"

 **Barrington** (proudly): "While Menton is busy with the Alpha team, Bravo team will perform the mission."

 **Ranger** : "And you called *me* out on my association with supervillains? That's MORE than a little hyprocritical!"

 **Barrington** : "No one will miss the decoy team when they're gone. Utility's team, too, should it come to that." (beat) "Why is that any different from YOUR interactions with supervillains?"

 **Ranger** : "Regardless of their crimes, they're still human beings..."

 **Barrington** (interrupting): "Remind me again how many people Nebula sent to Duress during her time on Earth?"

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Barrington** (continuing): "Or how many HUNDREDS of millions of dollars Lady Blue has stolen from business moguls and philantropists?"

(icy pause, held gaze)

 **Ranger** (deadpan): "No love for Dr. Fuseli in your rantings, Major? He WAS a supervillain when we first met."

 **Barrington** (growling): "General..."

 **Ranger** (vicious smile): "How about Zes'arou Al'Gari Vikon? The first time *he* visited Earth, he tried to nuke Albuquerque!" /* "Reconnaissance in Force" */

 **Barrington** (exploding): "ENOUGH!!"

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Ranger** (unusually smug): "Where you see resources to be expended, I see lives still worth redeeming. I'm *nothing* like you!" (beat, takes a swig of coffee) "And God willing, I never will be."

(Barrington stares at him angrily before striding over to the Bravo Team monitors. Ted tries to remain dispassionate as, one by one, the monitors of the Alpha Team jump and static out with loss of signal)

* * *

(approaching the Presidential Estate, Bluefields. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(a Guamangan Army jeep bounces down a side road toward the service entrances of the estate as the sound of automatic weapons fire and grenade explosions come from within it. Jesse 'Mirage' Turnbull is driving, Utility is riding shotgun, and Craig 'Mechassassin' Vandersnoot and Emil 'Lazer' Nelson stare at each other in back)

 **Mechassassin** : "Who would've thought UNTIL would be the only client willing to pay my asshole surcharge for having to work with you, Nelson?"

 **Lazer** : "Shut up and keep sucking on your pacifier, Vandersnoot." (beat) "Or would that be your First Sergeant's di..."

 **Mechassassin** (interrupting): "Your turn's coming, Old Man. I'm the future..."

 **Utility** : "Guys? Mission!"

 **Lazer** (beat): "'Bout time for me to get to my first nest anyway..."

(he twists a control on his utility harness and vanishes. Beat, then there is a WHOOSH! of something taking off from the Jeep)

 **Utility** : "Mechassassin. Gate!"

 **Mechassassin** (winding up with a grenade): "Fire in the hole."

(he lobs the grenade toward the gate as Utility pumps a Molecular Disruptor wrist-rocket into it. The gate disintegrates seconds before the Jeep goes through it)

(the Jeep is now on the grounds of the Presidential Estate. As soldiers try to fire at it, they are transfixed by laser beams coming from one of the guard towers)

 **Mirage** (to Utility): "You sure know how to show a girl a good time! Dinner?"

 **Mechassassin** (firing his Electric Rifle at more soldiers in their way): "Flirt later, lovebirds. We're on the clock, here!"

(the laser fire, which had stopped for a few seconds, now resumes from a point on the roof of the mansion)

 **Mirage** : "Thank you, Lazer!" (to Utility) "It'd be quicker to just drive INTO the mansion..."

 **Utility** : "Mechassassin had only one shaped charge, and we may need the Jeep for extraction!"

 **Mirage** : "You're no fun."

(she drift-parks the Jeep right next to a side entrance whose door has already been destroyed)

 **Utility** (leaping from the Jeep): "Let's GO, people!"

(Mirage shimmers and vanishes as she jumps out of the Jeep. Mechassassin leaps through the door, shield and electric rifle ready)

 **Mechassassin** (landing): "Clear!"

(Utility joins him. The bodies of soldiers and personal guards lay strewn in the hallway they have entered)

 **Mirage** (shimmering back into visibility): "The decoy team appears to have been more successful than planned."

 **Utility** (taking a custom sensor off his harness): "Don't count on it." (beat, waves sensor to his right) "This way."

(they lope down the indicated corridor. Mirage uses a SWAT-team-like light pipe to check around corners they reach. On the third one, she holds a hand up to stop the team)

 **Mirage** (whispered): "Ornate door, two REALLY big dudes in front of it, and the bodies of the decoy team."

 **Utility** (whispered): "So much for surprise."

 **Mechassassin** (whispered): "They at least took the palace's defenses out for us."

 **Utility** : "Okay. Shrinker, take the one on the left. Mirage, the one on the right. I'll take the door. Mechassassin, go in all guns blazing." (on radio) "Lazer, move to nest 4 and take the windows out. Draw Menton's attention outside."

(an open equipment pouch on Mechassassin's armor shakes, and a tiny humanoid female flies out)

 **Shrinker** : "About time I got to have some fun."

(she shrinks into invisibility as Mirage shimmers and vanishes again)

 **Utility** (whispered, into mask radio): "Lazer, acknowledge!"

 **Mechassassin** (whispered): "Forget the geezer, he's either taking a nap or decided to leave us and go pub-crawling."

(any reply Utility may have had is interrupted by the sound of choking and and the impact of a fist against a body from around the corner)

 **Mechassassin** : "Time to find out just how good these psi-shields from UNTIL are!"

(he and Utility leap around the corner to find both guards unconscious on the floor, Mirage visible again, and Shrinker at full size)

 **Shrinker** (rubbing her fist): "Growing to full size underneath a jaw never gets old."

 **Utility** (aiming his left wrist at the door): "Fire in the hole."

(Mirage dodges out of the way as Shrinker shrinks and flies clear. As the shaped-charge wrist rocket destroys the door, a laser beam springs from the corridor behind them and transfixes Mirage for 6 BODY and 61 STUN after defenses. Mortally wounded, she collapses to the ground unconscious)

 **Mechassassin** : "Damn you, Nelson!"

(Lazer shimmers into existence behind them all)

 **Lazer** (dull monotone): "All hail President Medina."

* * *

(Outside the Obsidian Caves. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(something pinkish-white fades from somewhere back in the jungle as Ladyhawk leads TASK FORCE to the nondescript hill from Grandfather's reconnaissance the previous night)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay, Grandfather. Where to?"

 **Grandfather** : "There should be a hole at the base of the hill ahead. That's where I saw last night's survivor go to ground."

 **Starforce** (looking ahead): "Found it."

(TASK FORCE gathers around the hole that Starforce has indicated)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "How deep?"

 **Starforce** : "Can't tell. Something inside that hole doesn't like my sensors."

(Grandfather waves his walking stick to attract Starforce's attention, then drops it into the hole. Slightly over one second later, everyone hears the walking stick clatter against stone somewhere below)

 **Starforce** (lightning calculator mode): "1.1 seconds. About 6 meters or so..."

(Grandfather looks at him crossly)

 **Starforce** (sighs): "20 feet?"

 **Grandfather** : "Thank you."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay then. Ghostbane, take Grandfather. Everyone, follow me."

(Ladyhawk springs lithely into the hole, followed by Ghostbane carrying Grandfather. Thelambra and Starforce levitate in using their own powers)

(Ladyhawk gets up slowly from her three-point landing as Grandfather retrieves his walking stick. They are in what appears to be a dimly-lit natural tunnel heading off in either direction)

 **Thelambra** (whispered, pointing to the left): "Two heavily-shielded minds that way."

 **Starforce** (whispered): "And a really FUNKY-looking energy source."

 **Ladyhawk** (whispered): "Let's go."

(they prowl in the direction Thelambra indicated. Grandfather stops them abruptly just before the tunnel appears to widen out. He indicates to Ladyhawk two large things and four small things are ahead of them. Ladyhawk nods)

(tense pause. Ladyhawk starts a 3-second countdown with her left hand as her right hand accepts a primed energy shuriken from the container on her back)

(the countdown reaches zero, and Ladyhawk throws the shuriken set for flash stun right into the middle of the four Harnessed Shadows and two Shadow Colossi guarding the front of a large cavern. The Harnessed Shadows all drop unconscious with unnerving, keening wails. One Shadow Colossus runs deeper into the Main Cave, screaming something inhuman while the other turns to fight TASK FORCE. Alarms sound throughout the cave and tunnels)

 **Ladyhawk** (unsheathing katanas): "Crap!"

(DEX 35. Ladyhawk hits low with her katanas for a total of 6 BODY)

(DEX 30. Starforce hits high with a 32d6 TK Offensive Strike for 12 BODY. The knockback sends it hurtling across the cavern, impacting the far wall for another 9 BODY. It pries itself off the wall and waits)

 **Ghostbane** (to Starforce): "You could have let me hit him!"

(Ladyhawk charges into the Main Cave with the rest of TASK FORCE hard on her heels. Corrupted Ones and Shadow Acolytes line a ledge 5 meters above the floor of the cave, while numerous Harnessed Shadows stream out of lower cave entrances which have suddenly shimmered into existence. Shadow Colossi detach themselves from the pillars where they had been imitating carved statues. Shocked pause)

 **Starforce** : "That went well."

* * *

(Presidential Estate, Bluefields. One second later)

(his Electric Rifle set to autofire, Mechassassin hits with all five shots for a total of 2 BODY and 49 STUN after defenses. He's knocked out and bleeding)

 **Mechassassin** (leaping toward Lazer's body): "You just stabbed your last back, asshole!"

 **Utility** : "Mechassassin! Leave him!!"

(it's too late. Ripping Lazer's rifle out of his hands, he pops the power cell and thumbs some controls on it before stuffing it into his belt)

 **Mechassassin** (hiding behind his shield): "Good thing I saw you do that in Bosnia that one time..."

(the power cell explodes with the force of a grenade. Bits of composite armor, blood, and gore bounce off of Mechassassin's sheld)

 **Mechassassin** (turning his back on Lazer's remains): "Now let's go do something about the bastard who took his mind..."

(he stops in mid-sentence awkwardly, a brief and incoherent sound the only indication something is horribly wrong. His armor suddenly explodes as Shrinker grows to full size inside of it. Mechassassin is CON-stunned by the resulting damage, and now without all his armored defenses)

 **Shrinker** (dull monotone): "Will no one rid me of these troublesome mercenaries?"

 **Utility** (firing Omni-pistol set to Sonic Disruption at them): "Damn it!!"

(43 STUN later, both Shrinker and Mechassassin are knocked out. Before Utility can turn around, he finds himself yanked into the air, spread-eagled)

 **Menton** (behind him): "You really should ask for your money back on those psi-shields UNTIL issued you."

 **Utility** (internal monologue): [[oh crap]]

(he finds himself drifting backwards into the Presidential Office, slowly twisting in mid-air to reveal Menton and a surviving personal guard)

 **Menton** : "I find it preferable talking with you disarmed of all your gadgets, Mr. Chow." (to his guard) "If you would, please?"

 **Guard** : "Yes, Mr. President."

(it takes over half a minute and multiple trips, but eventually the guard has Utility's wrist rocket launcher, taser gauntlet, Utility harness, Omni-pistol, and Omni-helmet off of him and on a nearby table)

 **Menton** (almost purring): "Now, Mr. Chow, what should I do with you?"

 **Utility** (gasping): "I'm no good to you dead, Menton!"

 **Menton** : "That is a matter of opnion."

 **Utility** : "I can work for you..."

 **Menton** (interrupting): "Like you worked for UNTIL today?"

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Menton** : "No, Mr. Chow. *You* need to be punished." (beat, smiles) "And I have just the memory to punish you with."

(Menton rolls EGO+40 on the Mental Illusion he just hit Utility with. His features swim and become those of Starforce in his old Mark IV armor from 2001)

 **Starforce** : "Perhaps we can discuss what you did to my children, Mr. Chow, as I rip your limbs off one by one?"

 **Utility** (screaming, freaking out): "NOO! I SWEAR TO GOD I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT THEM, DR. HAWKINS!!" /* "What's Yours Is Negotiable" */

(there is the sound of a pulson bolt fired from very close range, set for full power. Starforce in armor suddenly becomes Menton again, a look of utter shock on his face as Utility feels Menton's telekinesis release its grip. Utility somehow manages to land on his feet. Menton, his eyes glazing over, drops to the floor as well to reveal an impeccably-dressed man of Indian descent safing a pulson blaster standing where the guard that had disarmed him had been standing only seconds before)

 **Utility** (still a little wild-eyed): "Wh... what?"

 **Indian Man** : "Thank you for your distraction. That was exactly what I needed."

(the Indian Man's features and clothes blur and swim as he walks past Utility, becoming those of an officer in the Guamangan Army before exiting the office)

 **Utility** (beat, back under control): "Damn."

(he staggers over to the table holding his equipment, noting that Menton is still breathing in spite of the nasty-looking pulson wound to the back of his head. He grabs his Omni-Helmet off of the table and manipulates some controls)

 **Utility** : "Base, this is Bravo-actual. Recall, recall, recall. Four stretchers and one body-bag."

(he leans against the table while re-equipping himself, catching his breath)

* * *

(The Obsidian Caves. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Harnessed Shadows with a held action open fire on TASK FORCE. Grandfather's walking stick is the only casualty, shattering into several pieces from its hit)

 **Grandfather** : "WHY do people keep targeting my walking stick?!?"

 **Starforce** (force-flashing some Harnessed Shadows): "'Attack Destroyer without Ranger' they said. 'It would be FUN!' they said..."

 **Ghostbane** (sweep-punching more Harnessed Shadows): "Is THIS what Ranger means when he talks about a target-rich environment?"

(Ladyhawk throws an explosive energy shuriken deeper into the Main Cave and looks at the developing battle. TASK FORCE is badly outnumbered if they have to fight their way through the cave old-school)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Thelambra! Find Doctor Destroyer so we can teleport straight to him!"

 **Thelambra** : "Probably one of the shielded minds on the upper floor. On it."

(a halo of power begins to surround her head as she concentrates. The first mind she touches flares with warmth and recognition)

 **Captain Chronos** : ((Thelambra? Ohmigod you're so young!))

 **Thelambra** : ((excuse me?))

(there is a dizzying rush at the edge of her perception, and they are suddenly in a garden somewhere in Arcadia which for some inexplicable reason has a searingly-bright... crack, for lack of a better term... that hurts to look at. Captain Chronos is also, inexplicably enough, holding a baby)

 **Thelambra** : "How did you do that?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "No time to explain that. It is VITALLY important to human history that I take *this* baby through *that* dimensional rift!"

 **Thelambra** : "That baby wouldn't happen to be the Renton's missing child?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Finally, somebody in this century is intelligent enough to follow the bread-crumbs I left behind!"

 **Thelambra** : "What are you going to do with him?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Save his life. Sha... Doctor Destroyer believes that he has his grandfather's powers of transmutation, and will kill him when he finds out he will never have powers!"

 **Thelambra** : "We could save his life just as easily by returning him to his parents..."

 **Captain Chronos** : "NO!!!"

(Thelambra is stung by the vehemence in Captain Chronos' response. She is shocked even more by the quick montage of images she sees in Captain Chronos' mind)

 **Captain Chronos** : "We have to enter the rift in 15.4 seconds, and you all need to be here when that happens! No time to explain!!"

 **Thelambra** : "I'm on it."

 **Ladyhawk** (screaming): "THELAMBRA!!"

(Thelambra's eyes snap back into focus. She is back in the Obsidian Caves. Four Harnessed Shadows lay around her, all impaled by stalactites that inexplicably dropped from the ceiling of the Main Cave)

 **Thelambra** (pointing): "No time to explain! We need to get into that tunnel!"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "Ghostbane, Starforce, give us some breathing room! Grandfather, teleport us when they do!"

 **Starforce/Ghostbane** : "On it!"

(Starforce sets his TK for Cone area of effect and shoves the hordes of Shadow Destroyer minions away as Ghostbane winds up and punches the floor at an angle to generate a cone area of effect shockwave. All the Harnessed Shadows and Shadow Acolytes which had been swarming TASK FORCE scatter away from them)

 **Grandfather** : "Here we go."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Grandfather's teleport deposits them all in what appears to be an ornate entrance chamber. The walls are full of carvings of people doing... things that are difficult to describe, yet vaguely gruesome and horrifying in spite of that. A bright light shines from the other entrance to the chamber)

 **Grandfather** : "Do NOT look at the carvings!"

 **Thelambra** (running toward the other entrance): "This way! HURRY!!"

(TASK FORCE runs after her and finds themselves in another room with disturbing carvings, surrounded by equally-disturbing pillars. What appears to be some sort of rectangular pool 1 foot high forms the base of what appears to be a searingly-bright crack in the very fabric of space that hurts to look at. Captain Chronos sits on a bench on the other side of the room with a baby carrier)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Is that the Renton's baby?"

 **Thelambra** (stopping Ladyhawk): "NO! Just *watch*!"

(before anyone else can act, Shadow Destroyer levitates in from the other entrance to this room)

 **Shadow Destroyer** (bellowing, to Captain Chronos): "You did this to me, you CLOWN! HAND ME THE BABY *NOW*!!"

 **Starforce** (firing forcebeams): "I don't think so!"

(120 STR TK holds Shadow Destroyer in the doorway to the Inner Sanctum. Unfortunately, Starforce's forcebeam is *just* a little too close to the rift. As it and the rift bow out to meet each other, sparks begin shooting between Starforce and Shadow Destroyer)

 **Starforce** (alarmed at what he's seeing on energy sensors): "What the HELL?!?"

 **Captain Chronos** (smiling while standing, baby carrier in hand): "Precisely. On. Time."

 **Shadow Destroyer** : "NOOOO!!!"

(baby carrier still in hand, Captain Chronos leaps into the rift just as it makes contact with Starforce's forcebeam. There is a spectacular and blinding FLASH!! that overcomes everyone's sight, even those with Sight Flash Defense)

(everyone's vision finally clears. Captain Chronos, the baby... and the rift... are all gone. Shocked pause)

 **Starforce** (small voice): "Well, crap."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We'll mourn later. Starforce, make a hole! Grandfather, get us out of here!"

 **Shadow Destroyer** (furious): "Imbeciles... CRETINS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?"

 **Starforce** (raising an arm toward the ceiling): "Keeping you from using a dimensional rift you had no business owning. Stop your whining."

 **Shadow Destroyer** (roaring, shooting a darkblast): "BASTARDS!!"

(the darkblast slams off a deflecting disk Grandfather hastily erects roughly where the rift had been)

(Starforce obliterates the ceiling directly over Shadow Destroyer, leaving a more-or-less rectangular hole directly over the former site of the dimensional rift. Jungle and milky-white sky can be seen through the opening)

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented): "Love to stay and chat about the whole undeath-after-death gig you've got going here, but we've got lives of our own! Toodles!!"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(another darkblast goes through the space TASK FORCE had just occupied before Grandfather teleported them out)

 **Shadow Destroyer** (screaming): "FIND THEM!!!"

* * *

(UNTIL Caribbean Operations Hangar, MacDill AFB, FL. Six hours later)

(A comatose Menton is being wheeled through the hangar toward a PRIMUS VTOL just inside the main doors. Ted and Major Barrington watch the procession go past)

 **Ranger** (casually): "So, what's happening in Guamanga now that UNTIL botched their attempted assassination of their President?"

(Barrington's eyes flare with anger before he refuses Ted's baiting)

 **Barrington** : "Their national security advisor has assumed the Presidency, declared Martial Law, and closed the borders while he gets things sorted out."

 **Ranger** (beat): "I'm surprised you didn't plant evidence framing the United States for the attack."

 **Barrington** : "I'll have to remember that the next time. Thanks for the suggestion."

 **Ranger** : "That would tend to make things like what's happening now a little difficult to do in the future." (beat) "Why couldn't UNTIL hold him at the Guardhouse? UNTIL bagged him, and he is guilty of world-wide crimes before attempting to become a politician."

 **Barrington** : "The Guardhouse isn't equipped to take a psionic as dangerous as Menton once he wakes from his coma."

 **Ranger** : "You have psionic jammers..."

 **Barrington** (interrupting): "The Tribunal has already ruled on Menton. Life imprisonment in Hot Sleep." (beat) "Only Stronghold can keep him, based on that sentence."

(the procession boards the PRIMUS VTOL)

 **Ranger** : "Out of professional curiosity, who took the killshot?"

 **Barrington** : "Nobody on our teams, that much is for certain." (beat) "There are reports going back to the 1980's of Destroyer employing a shape-shifting assassin. Utility testified in the debrief that one of Menton's guards changed shape before *and* after shooting him in the back of the head."

 **Ranger** : "I've seen that intel. Rakshasha hasn't been confirmed active since 1992."

(awkward pause as they both walk to the PRIMUS VTOL)

 **Ranger** : "How does it feel to have Doctor Destroyer do your job for you?

 **Barrington** (angry): "Menton was one of the most dangerous supervillains to have ever existed..."

 **Ranger** (with growing anger): "He was the LEGITIMATELY-ELECTED President of Guamanga! Since WHEN did the Martinez Treaty authorize deposing governments of which UNTIL doesn't approve?!?"

 **Barrington** (equally angry): "He has PSIONIC POWERS! How can you prove that election was even *legitimate*?!?"

 **Ranger** : "That's rich coming from an agent who convinced UNTIL to use SUPERVILLAINS to DEPOSE HIM!!!"

 **Barrington** : "And what would, say, Admiral Poindexter or Colonel North have to say about my methods?" /* look up "Iran-Contra Affair" on Wikipedia */

(THAT stops Ted's rant in its tracks)

 **Barrington** : "We all dabble with shades of gray in our profession, General."

 **Ranger** (acidly): "Yeah, but at least I can look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgust." (to his PRIMUS agents on the loading ramp) "Is Menton secure?"

 **PRIMUS agent** : "Yes, sir."

 **Ranger** (disgusted): "Let's go."

(Ted walks up the loading ramp into the VTOL)

 **Barrington** : "We're more alike than you'll admit, General."

(Ted stops for a moment, then walks deeper into the VTOL as the loading ramp shuts behind him)

* * *

(Goodman Institute HQ, Columbus, OH. Two days later)

(the grounds of the former Rickenbacker AFB are swarming with activity as Bob and Julie walk through the Institute's headquarters building, escorted by an administrative assistant)

 **Assistant** (stopping in front of a door): "In here, Dr. and Mrs. Hawkins."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Thank you."

(Bob and Julie step into a conference room. Peter has been unsuccessfully attempting to console Marcy)

 **Amazing Man II** : "You said you had something for us concerning Jason?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes."

 **Amazing Man II** : "Do you know where he is?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "Roughly."

(awkward pause, held gaze)

 **Amazing Man II** : "There's something you're not telling me here..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Peter, there will be a *lot* of things we will be telling you during the course of this meeting, none of which we SHOULD be sharing with you."

 **Starforce** : "We are both risking federal prosecution by sharing with both of you what we currently know."

 **Electron** (sniffling): "Understood."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay, then. PRIMUS made some highly-classified data available to my husband for analysis yesterday involving a fight two days ago near the border between Honduras and Guamanga. The fight involved PRIMUS assets the identities of which they were not at liberty to discuss with us, Captain Chronos, and Doctor Destroyer."

 **Electron** : "What about Jason?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "He was still in Captain Chronos' possession when they both vanished."

 **Amazing Man II** : "VANISHED? How?!?"

 **Starforce** : "The video and sensor feeds made available to me indicate that Captain Chronos and your son jumped into a 6th-dimensional rift which Doctor Destroyer was apparently attempting to tap for his own purposes."

 **Electron** : "Couldn't they be followed?"

 **Starforce** : "The rift collapsed immediately upon transit."

(Marcy gasps and begins sobbing again)

 **Amazing Man II** : "You said you had sensor readings?"

 **Starforce** : "Which I pulled an all-nighter attempting to analyze."

 **Amazing Man II** : "What can you tell me about what happened?"

 **Starforce** : "Captain Chronos took your son somewhere in the Western Hemisphere in either our past or future."

 **Amazing Man II** (beat): "That's IT?!?"

 **Starforce** : "To the best of my calculations, they re-emerged into normal space-time somewhere within 1600 miles of Doctor Destroyer's base sometime between the years 1985 and 2025."

(shocked pause, held gaze)

 **Amazing Man II** (angry): "A 1600-mile and 40-year circular error of probability?!?"

 **Starforce** : "This isn't like calculating a light-speed breakaway in _Star Trek_ or piloting the TARDIS! Modern science lacks the math to accurately model what Captain Chronos can do, much less determine precisely where and *when* he went!"

 **Amazing Man II** : "But my father once retrieved you and your team from World War II! I should know, I helped him!"

 **Starforce** : "Your father is a very great man, Peter, and still my superheroic idol. But even HE couldn't have rescued TASK FORCE from 1944 without me cheating outrageously in all our favors by setting up a closed time-like loop in human history!" /* "Greatest Generation" */

(beat, then Peter looks at his feet)

 **Starforce** : "I will talk with your father when I get home and send him the same data PRIMUS sent me. He may see something that I missed."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Peter, Marcy, your baby is alive. We don't know when or where yet, but we will let you know when we do."

(Marcy bawls uncontrollably into another kleenex)

 **Amazing Man II** : "Thank you, guys."

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : Mid-Cities Orphanage, Arlington TX. It is June 1994, during the events of the story "Ghosts from the Past"

(Headline News is going while the night watchperson sits at the front desk, reading a magazine)

 **TV** : "Lakewood Village, Texas, a secluded village located 20 miles north of Dallas on the banks of Lake Lewisville. And starting tomorrow, the site of a reunion half a century in the making..."

(the door bangs open, startling the watchperson. A man dressed in a funny-looking silver lamé jumpsuit is carrying a baby carrier in. The baby inside is beginning to fuss)

 **Watchperson** : "May I help you?"

 **Captain Chronos** : "Excuse me, but I don't have much time and you need to take this baby!"

 **Watchperson** : "Sir, we have procedures we go through..."

(there is a blinding flash!... and the man is gone. Only the baby in its carrier remains, now on the front desk)

 **Watchperson** (beat, sighs): "Superheroes. Go fig." (turns to the baby carrier) "Well, let's see who we have here."

* * *

(fin)


End file.
